Northeast
Swift River
Live Conditions
Swift River — At West Ware
7-Day Flow
→ Stable
24-Hr Pressure
29.26 inHg · → High/stable
Local Weather
Tough conditions — fish deep
Today
☁️Overcast
79° / 49°
Tomorrow
🌧️Rain
68° / 53°
0.34"
Thu
🌦️Drizzle
58° / 45°
0.02"
Fri
🌦️Drizzle
57° / 39°
0.01"
Rain in forecast — expect rising, off-color water in 12–24 hrs.
Weather by Open-Meteo · No API key · Updated every 30 min
What should I fish today?
One call. Specific to today's exact conditions on the Swift River.
9
What should I pack?
Rod, flies, tippet, and safety gear specific to today's Swift River conditions.
🪰 Hatch Calendar
Swift River · May · Late Spring
Showing typical dates — water temperature data unavailable for live hatch predictions.
Select month
SULPHURS (size 16-18) — the marquee Swift hatch begins. Caddis. BWOs. Best surface action of the year.
River Map
About Swift River
The Swift River below Quabbin Reservoir's Winsor Dam is Massachusetts's preeminent tailwater fly fishery — a gin-clear, bottom-release stream that stays cold enough for trout 365 days a year even through brutal summers. The special-regulations fly-only stretch holds a surprising density of wild and holdover brown, rainbow, and brook trout given its proximity to Worcester and Springfield. Abundant hatches, consistent temperatures, and large fish make it a year-round destination despite the pressure it receives.
Regulations
Winsor Dam downstream to Route 9: fly fishing only (conventional fly rod and fly line required), catch-and-release, open year-round — no bait, no treble hooks, no spinning gear. Route 9 downstream to Cady Lane: catch-and-release, artificial lures only July 1–December 31; harvest and bait permitted January 1–June 30. Managed by DCR / MassWildlife. CFS alone does not indicate fishability — check dam release schedules.